Holy Land, Egypt & Arabia Cruise

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 02 November 2025 / Depart: Sun 02 November 2025 at 16:00

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

Day 2 - Agios Nikolaos, Greece

Arrive: Mon 03 November 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 03 November 2025 at 19:00

This charming village of white houses climbing up the slopes is beautifully situated on the sparkling Gulf of Mirabello. The attractive Venetian harbor is surrounded by restaurants, outdoor cafes and clusters of shops selling everything from necessities to souvenirs. The ship docks in the center of town, and you are able to wander at will and enjoy the atmosphere of Crete's foremost resort.

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - Ashdod, Israel

Arrive: Wed 05 November 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 05 November 2025 at 15:00

The largest port in Israel, Ashdod is a gateway to Jerusalem, the 5,000-year-old walled city that is considered sacred to more than a third of the people on Earth. Numerous sites exist nearby, including the Jewish sacred Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre said to be the site of Calvary and to contain a piece of the true cross. Meander along the seaside promenade, or dip your toes in the Dead Sea waters, long known for their health benefits. Visit the Bar-Gera Museum to view a collection of art by artists who were either banned or persecuted by the Nazis and other fascist governments. The Yad Vashem Memorial Museum is dedicated to the six million Jews who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Day 5 - Enter Suez Canal

Day 5 - Transit Suez Canal

Day 5 - Exit Suez Canal

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Aqaba

Arrive: Sat 08 November 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 08 November 2025 at 19:00

Aqaba is a sleepy fishing village with a long and historic past. At various times, the port was a stopover on ancient caravan routes, a garrison for Roman troops and meeting place for pilgrims en route to Mecca. Recent excavations have revealed a third-century church, one of the worlds oldest. In medieval times, Aqaba was an important part of Palestine before being absorbed into the Ottoman Empire, a time when Lawrence of Arabia figured in local history. Today Aqaba is important as Jordan's only deep water port and the jumping-off point for excursions to Petra, the country's premier historical attraction.

Day 8 - Sharm El Sheikh

Arrive: Sun 09 November 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 09 November 2025 at 18:00

Some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world is found at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Here, on a slender promontory where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Straits of Tiran, Sharm el Sheikh offers access to serene sand beaches, wind-carved cliffs and a wonderland of colorful fish and coral reefs. The area is revered as a place of prophets and miracles, including St. Catherine's Monastery, the most important religious site in Sinai, situated at the base of the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Day 9 - Safaga

Arrive: Mon 10 November 2025 at 06:00 / Depart: Mon 10 November 2025 at 23:59

Located on the Egyptian side of the Red Sea, the port of Safaga is the gateway to some of Egypt's most memorable destinations: Luxor, Karnak and Thebes. Luxor has often been called the world's greatest open-air museum, and the number and preservation of the monuments in the area are unparalleled anywhere else in the world. The ancient Egyptians called Luxor "The City" and Homer called it the "City of a Thousand Gates." The troops of Napoleon, coming upon its grandeur, broke into spontaneous applause. The pharaoh's tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and the colossal temples of Luxor and Karnak capture the imagination with splendors that have survived the centuries.

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - At Sea

Day 16 - Muscat

Arrive: Mon 17 November 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 17 November 2025 at 18:00

Oman, "The Pearl of Mystic Arabia," is one of the oldest civilizations on the Arabian Peninsula. Wedged between the Arabian Gulf and the Western Al Hajar Mountains, Muscat boasts an ancient history and rich Islamic heritage, evident in its prominent landmarks such as forts, castles, towers and mosques. Since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970, Muscat has experienced rapid infrastructural development, leading to the growth of a vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.

Day 17 - At Sea

Day 18 - Abu Dhabi

Arrive: Wed 19 November 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 19 November 2025 at 18:00

Wide expanses of desert sands stretching up to the ‘Rub Al Khali' – the Empty Quarter, blue waters of the Gulf, ideal for swimming, snorkeling, sailing and fishing, archeological sites and ultra-modern malls and shops. Abu Dhabi is a fine example of how well a community survived adverse environments for thousands of years by observing strict tribal codes. Today, the values, heritage and culture which were refined by the adoption of Islam over the past millennium continue to thrive notwithstanding the ultra modern infrastructure and facilities of a cosmopolitan, moderately liberal lifestyle. Despite the limitations of a mainly desert environment and a semi-nomadic lifestyle that prevailed up to the 20th century, Abu Dhabi has a rich past evidenced by scores of restored mud fortresses and remains of underground irrigation systems in Al Ain, which has been continuously inhabited for more than 4,000 years and is considered as the cultural centre of the emirate.

Day 19 - Dubai

Arrive: Thu 20 November 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 20 November 2025

The United Arab Emirates is strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, and the traditional trading routes from Asia and the Far East to Europe and further afield are even more significant today than they were hundreds of years ago. Nestled at the very heart of the Islamic world, the country is unique in its embrace of the Western world. Here you can see the contrasts of the nomadic Bedouin people, and the opulence and splendor of the Sheiks, set against a backdrop of Western lifestyles.